It is known to use occlusal splints for treatment of various kinds of disorders to relieve strain on the temporal mandibular joint.
My earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,713, issued Nov. 21, 1989, describes a procedure presently in use for making such dental splints. It involves the molding of a preform pattern from dental wax or other suitable material that is form-stable at room temperature and flowable at elevated temperatures having a generally U-shaped trough configuration that approximates a patient's bite. The pattern is heated a few degrees above normal human body temperature and placed in the mouth of the patient after which the patient's mouth is closed to a desired occlusal spacing which imparts a corresponding occlusal impression in the wax pattern. The wax pattern is then placed in an investment mold and invested, following which it is removed and replaced by acrylic material which is cast, heat-cured, and then polished to form the finished splint.
Such heat-cured splints are often fabricated from methyl-methacrylate and a powder mixture that, once invested, is cured under pressure in a hot water bath. The time for heat-curing such splints is on the order of about twelve hours, making it difficult for a dentist or technician to complete the entire procedure in a single day. For those dentists who do not have an investment caster at their disposal, it is common for them to send the wax pattern to a laboratory to cast the splint, which can further delay the process by several days or weeks. In either case, it requires at least one return visit by the patient, adding to the cost and inconvenience of the procedure.
Another disadvantage with heat-cured acrylic splints is that a certain amount of residual monomer has been found to remain in the acrylic after curing, causing for some patients a irritation or allergenic reaction with the tissues of the mouth. In severe cases, the patient is no longer able to wear the splint.
The present invention overcomes or greatly minimizes all of the foregoing objections.